The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1887-09-24
THE CONGO COUNTRY.
Beautifui Land which IL Literally
Flowing with Mlk and Honey.


than the main land, says Lieutenant
Taunt in his report concerning n
recent expedition To Africa. As rule.
both mainland and islands are covered
with dense forests. in which are Ia bo
found the rubber. gum. copal, palm
and other valuable trees. On the mam-
land are occasional stretches of inn.
mcnsc p.ateaus, which the elephant.
buaalo and other game use Tor feeding
grounds. The islands above Bangala
are covered with thousands of the valu-
able OH palm trees.
The Congo abounds in most excellent
food fish. which form staple article ~
food on the upper river. The natives
seldom eat the fish when fresh. hut
smoke or dry them The mau-cating
crocodile is met with throughout tho
river and in the region of the island
and sand banks the hippopotami are
found. have frequently met herds of
fifteen or twenty of these beasts play
ing in the river II disturbed in their
breeding season they will attack pass
ing canoes and sometimes steamers,
one of he state launches has been
badly injured by the tusks of hippo.
OF the mineral wealth of the Congo
valley there can he no question, Tho
natives of all sections possess iron and
copper in large quantities. The knives
and spears are made of the iron and
decorated with copper Their brass
ornaments are made from the matakos
that they purchase In trade from the
whites. saw no gold or silver; the
natives do not place any value on these
metals. II has been reported that the
Arabs have found gold in small
quantities in the Interior above Stanley
Falls.
The natives Of the lower Congo arc
armed with ilint-lock muSkct-, but they
are almost harmless. They have no
idea of craftsmanship, and it is the cS-
ccption when man Is killed in their
tribal wars. In October 1888, between
NJ Bauza Mctekc and Vvi, was in
camp with nearly six hundred of
Makito's people Zone of the most power
ful chiefs on the lower rivcr); these
people were returning from the coast
with rum, gin. etc, but with my native
caravan aud one other white man |
campcd rs peacefully among these six
hundred natives ss could have don0
at Vivi. And again, one of the En-
glish mission Is living alone at Lutcto.
and has been so for months, the nearest
white man being iift}' miles from lin.
The agegts Of the State never travel
with n guard In the lower country, and
the State limits its caravans to enough
people for the transportation OF their
camp cquiptge only. A Tar as ] could
learn, there ~ no case ON record during
the last two years whore white mans
caravan has Occn molcstcd ON the lower
river.
Xanzibaris ana Houssas travelling arc
sometimes seized, iloggcd and tied up
in the villages. bat an investigation
viii usually develop the fact that they
have been stealing food or ossaulling
women, and the man richly deserves
all he gets. The mails from Nivi to
Stanley Pool are sent in charge Of two
IIoussas. aud have never been intcrfcrcd
with.
The BaskungaJ are supcrstitious 10
the last degree; they rely for protection
on their fetch charms, and the medicine
men Of the tribes have great IN
iluencc. On the death II any person
Of note in the village the cpoison j. used.
The mcdicinc-mcn dcsignatcs the man
Orwoman suspected Of causing the dcuth
by charms or witchcraft The poison is
administered, and ifit acts rs an cmotic.
that signifies innocence; If, on the cou-
trary. il kills, the guilty one /, punished.
In some Instances the laws Of the Bask-
ungas are very stringent Stealing
from each other is punished by death.
Fighting or disorder in the market
places l. seriously punished. and If -
frc-arm IS used the punishment is death.
The market place, which usually covers
some acres Of ground. il used ~ tho
place Of execution, aud it is not an un-
usual sight 10 meet q skeleton hanging
and bleaching in the sun on the out
skirts of market, or % find broken
muskct driven into the ground. which
marks the spot where q man has been
buried alive up 10 hi- throat. T. brains
dashed out. then covered fnd tho
muskct driven into his body. Rfl this 10
serve a. warning to others not 10 uso
firearms in the market place
The native food of the lower Congo
valley Is principally peanuts and Chi
quango Cmade from tho maniDc roots
On market DAYS fowl, eggs. goat and
pork may be bought, and Gin small
quanttics) sweet potatoes, peas, beans,
onion. and bananas. a. rule did
not find the lower Congo people lntcu.
pcratc: the native drink is malafu or
palm wine, which. when fresh. j. not ut
all intoxicating. Thcy are fond ofrum
and gin. and these .ticlcs will 20 much
further IN trade than either cloth or
beads. The native caravans demand
rum or gin a, a portion ~ their pay.
The women are slaves. III ire being no
marriage laws. although. when once
woman is taken by q man, she is faith
ful 10 him.
Above Stanley Pool. and more par
ticularly above the mouth Of the Kassai
river. the natives ARE an entirely differ.
ent race. both physically and intellect
ually. The greater part of these people
are traders and ich. they own many